Finding your away around Rome

Has anyone used the hop on hop off buses, is this the best way to see Rome and are they frequent to each stop. Thinking of getting of the train at S Pietro can you get on one of these buses there? Thanks in advance :)

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

I would post this on the Italy Ports Of Call Board.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=595

Keith

Hi, you will find even more info about Rome on the Ports Forum of CC. That said, the Hop On Hop Off buses in Rome are the best way to see all of the sites. We loved using them in Rome. You won't be disappointed. And, they come every twenty minutes at the signs well marked. They hit all of the major sites.

You can actually walk Rome to see all the sights, except for the Colliseum and the Vatican. We did this at age 60. It was wonderful to see it that way. I had a map from Conde Nast Traveler. We had seen Rome by bus 3 or 4 times. This was the most memorable. Except for seeing Rome at night!

Rome is very walkable IMO. You can see a lot of the Roman ruins and artifacts walking. The Vatican is a walk from say the Spanish steps BUT you do enjoy the off beat neighborhoods. We returned in April and really enjoyed the walk because we saw a lot we would have missed on a bus. Have a wonderful time which ever you choose.:)

The Vatican is the only site not easily walkable. The Colosseum is quite walkable. Just did it the first half of this month. And one of us is 63. No problem.

Some reading on the Italy board will give tons of info, including that the ho-ho buses are probably not the best way to see the sites of the city.

We have found Rome to be very walkable, but we also use the Ho-Ho bus. We'll take a complete circuit to get our bearings, then get off somewhere on the second circuit. We may or may not get back on.

We don't do this every time we go to Rome, it depends on the weather and how we're feeling.

We have also found the subway to be very easy to use.

There are a lot of walking tour maps available free online, also some can be downloaded to your phone. :)

Do both the HOHO bus and walking around.

HOHO buses are great for getting to sights that are a little further away than you'd like to walk and they also give you a good perpective on where everything is, but Rome is one of those cities that are a delight to wander around. Every little street is interesting and this is also a great way to find those out of the way local restaurants.

Rome also has a reasonable metro system and good regular buses. If you want to go to the Via Appia Antico catch the metro then a bus. Most tour guidebooks will tell you the exact details.

I had been to Rome before so knew what I wanted to show my friend when we did the Med. We had 3 days pre-cruise in Rome, so we purchased HO/HO 48 hour pass on viator dot com before the trip ever started (paid for in US $). We were in a small hotel about 10 blocks from the Vatican where the HO/HO buses line up on the street in front of St. Peters. I believe there are about 4 different HO/HO companies.

First morning about did us in walking that 10 blocks, so we started using a taxi to get to St. Peters and back to the hotel in the evening.

We divided Rome into Northern and Southern sections. The first day we did the Northern section, getting off the bus close to Trevi fountain, walked around a bit of back streets and Spanish Steps, then back on the HO/HO and rode the rest of the way back to St. Peters. 2nd day we took a taxi to St. Peters and rode the HO/HO through the section we had seen the day before and got off at the Colosseum and proceeded around the Forum, Circus Maximus and a smaller church and through the Embassy area etc.

While the buses can't get you right to the site, it sure does save a lot of walking wear and tear. We were sure glad to rest our feet and backs on the bus. Others are saying how easy walking is in Rome, but we are two older ladies with mobility issues, and the inclines of Rome were not EASY for us. I believe Rome was built on 7 hills, so just be prepared and plan accordingly.

Have a Plan "A", then have a Plan "B" for when Plan A falls apart, and still be prepared to go with the flow when all plans fall apart. It happened frequently to us on our 21 day trip, even though I had planned and researched for 18 months. Take half the clothes you think you need and twice the money.

Have a great trip!

PS - Your hotel should have a nice FREE map and they will even highlight where you want to go.